In 1975 and 76 I was out on the road doing advance work for the American Freedom Train. I was told that the city of San Francisco wanted to host the train at the Presidio on the Belt Railway and I was to make it happen. (This was not the first time things like this this happened)

I was told that there were no shippers at the end of line and the general manager and some the train crew had never been beyond Fisherman's Wharf. The solution was to fire up one of the ALCO's and head west. Part of this "discovery trip" revealed some 22 degree curves on the track in the Marina Green area which meant that #4449 would not be going beyond Aquatic Park.

This also meant that the ALCO would be pulling the train down Jefferson Street, through Aquatic Park, through the tunnel, along Marina Green and into the parking lot for the commissary at the Presidio. This was enhanced with clouds of ALCO smoke as the little engine was in ""Run 8"! There were a lot of crossed fingers associated with this movement.

The AFT had hired a local PR firm near located the end of the cable car at Bay and Taylor. I would ride the cable car from my hotel to the offices of the PR firm.

One morning I had just gotten off the cable car when I saw one of the ALCO's shoving a car load of flour to the last remaining shipper - a pasta works. The conductor wanted to know if I would like a ride to my office. This resulted in the sight of a person in a shirt and tie clutching a brief case riding the footboard of an ALCO down the back streets of San Francisco.

Once I got the AFT to Miami I returned to Portland and became the train master for the Royal Hudson's trip to southern California in 1977. Once again the trackage at Aquatic Park hosted another steam engine. This time the train's staff ate and slept in a Pullman. We also got to appear in an episode of the "Streets of San Francisco". But that is another story.